LIRR taps Axion for more ties

Axion International Holdings, Inc. producer of recycled plastic and plastic composite technologies, said it has received a purchase order from the Long Island Rail Road for additional Ecotrax rail ties, to be used "in various locations throughout Long Island." The size of the order was not specified.

LIRR was seeking specialty ties of up to 31 feet in length, which Axion claims it was uniquely positioned to deliver. The company says its Ecotrax composite rail ties are made from Axion's patented, 100% recycled plastic formulation, so ties can be built to meet unique sizes and specifications that would be more difficult to meet using traditional lumber.

"This order and the accompanying durability report are very exciting news for Axion," said Axion President and CEO Steven Silverman."It's great to have in-the-ground proof that AXION formulated rail ties perform well over many years of use and don't break down over time even in damp, harsh weather environments like those in parts of Long Island."

The LIRR order follows testing by the railroad, Axion, and engineering and design firm CTL Group on Axion rail ties used on the LIRR's eastern end, near Montauk, N.Y., for more than eight years. Tests performed by CTL Group proved the ties "maintained their structural durability and showed no signs of degradation over their eight-plus years of use. The tests further concluded that these ties meet and exceed the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association (AREMA) standards set forth for those particular tests, and in several cases doubled the AREMA standards," Axion says.

Said Axion Sales Manager Cory Burdick, "The 2,000 AXION formulated ties that were installed on the LIRR ... have maintained a 0% failure rating. The testing conducted by the CTL Group proves that these ties in some ways actually improve over time. The screw spike pull out tests showed that our ties actually strengthen their grip on the spike over time, yielding higher pull out resistance as the ties age.

He added, "It's great to have real life testing that proves after more than eight years of on-track use on one of our nation's busiest transit lines, and in some of the harshest weather environments on the East Coast, Axion-formulated ties are just as strong if not stronger than the day they were installed."